[@Cynder] [hider=Patriotism and Pay] [color=yellow][h1][u][b]Patriotism and Pay[/b][/u][/h1][/color] [i] Horizons grow and with it so does the march of our borders. With new rising suns means new bridges to people and an order of massive commercial push to our new neighbors has been decreed in royal ink and workers sweat. You, one of the few mercantile forces in the regime of your noble powers has set you forth to travel new lands, entice new customers and generate new markets. A single market in fact, a market of your dominion and your dominion alone...sadly. You are not alone and it may take more than royal blood and politics to change that.[/i] [u][b]The Travel Plan:[/b][/u] Phase 1: At Home: When you first start your ship is docked at your noble lands. Granting you access to markets and materials that you do not have when out at sea. Here your money can be used to purchase goods, resources and should the worst happen, You will respawn here after paying the expense for the new vessel and crew...if you can pay. Thankfully, the wonders of your native country offer you the goods to prepare for such barbarity and deceptions. If pirates come or clandestine tricks take place by your underhanded foreign rivals. You can arm yourself with a variety of weapons and items. Your docks like any other have unfavorable elements. Pirates, cartels, spies and mercenaries. It is said such men are lured by coin and not honor or patriotism, a concept as foreign as your enemies I Dread ever using them as your foes do...as you're above such aggression, I'm sure. Some things cannot be purchased here, such things are indicated with the word “Exclusive” and require you to have control over that unique country. Phase 2: The Voyage: At this point you will pick a route to steer your gloriously appointed ship. A, B and C will determine your stops both on the known and unknown world. In which you will have the chance to encounter and deal with many folk. Trading resources is a must as your currency is unrecognised by the stubborn, primitives that litter the alien coasts. You will move once every turn to the next location. Here, word and vision of your trades and dealings will be seen by your rivals, unless should you bargain in secret for favours and influence. It is not unusual for powers to change after all. Phase 3: Return Trip: After you have reached the tip of the world, known now as the Ice Pole. You will immediately be stream lined in a single turn back to your noble beginnings. Repeating the phases once more. If you have bargain for the nations to close borders, act or add barriers. Here they will do so. Nation reactions will occur now. [b]Your Cargo:[/b] Your cargo space is limitless and by limitless, one means that your halls have more peasant labour in them than half the rural land combined. All for the purpose assuring that the plentiful riches that you will undoubtedly amass will be safely delivered back to your masters. Cargo holds your cards. Anything such as rice, spice, gold or even people require a cargo card. Should your ship be plundered or even destroyed you will lose all your cargo cards. Cards state how much they are worth on them, as they can be purchased. Sometimes cards can even be taken forcefully should such people display themselves too irresponsible to keep their property. [b]Actions and Sales:[/b] The use of pirates and underhanded dealings is strictly forbidden by honour and by law. Of course, seamen are of a lawless sort and the sea itself is of a temperament. Anything can happen on the waves and...if it were to be bargain for off them. Whom to know. Pirates and mercenaries can be lured with money or information to scurry out in their shabby sea shacks to harass the scoundrels of your competing captain. Dealing possible untold havoc with sinking their ship, killing their crew and grabbing their cargo. However they take gold to persuade. And if you have not gold then information. What is in a man stores is unknownst to you. However, they would be known to a man on the ship, perhaps a man who's heart is in another pocket. Your pocket. The one with the wallet in it. Should you hire a spy. One will immediately board your rival ship next time they are in dock(phase 1) granting you knowledge of all their cards and their deals. Such knowledge can be used to urge pirates and mercenaries to attack instead of paying them. If you can provide that it will be worth the haul. Even dirty thieves need to have triple their return for phantom, probable returns. Ah, politics. It is the soft hand that toils the field of many great nations. Primarily sowing mistrust and confusion for those outside the loop. Countries can be provided with enough goods or even foreign land to make certain choices. Like forbid certain goods, or disallow armed ships. Maybe even declare certain nations unwelcome at all. All nations are fickle. They rarely act without resources. Gun, men, labour and goods. What one needs and one demands is up to their sordid affairs and moods. But appeasement is the punishment of dealing with politics. There are many tools, forces and things to use. All whom are detailed their effects in cards, much like your cargo. [b]Your Bank:[/b] Where the great finances for your voyage take place. Your bank is simple, spend or obtain money its get higher or lower. If you go bankrupt, you lose. That's it. After all, what use is a salesman that can't even afford his own meals. If you, however manage to reach 10000 you have won, Achieving the financial dominance that your country had demanded of you. At this point your competitors will be green with envy and pale with despair. Success is a train and you have the momentum now. Of course, being so rich that you can bribe even their...incorruptible leaders to charge them with sabotage helps. [b]Your Goal: [/b] Domination. All men should seek to increase ones holding, but before you snatch your muskets and start marching. Remember, we are of the civilized lands and must seek to set an example. Commercialism is the game. Each nation that is currently trading the most with you is consider under your control. Granting you, a control point. How do you maintain control when you can both trade with a nation. Simple, sell more of what they want. Buy more of what they don't. Become the preferred seller and buyer. Become perhaps even...a friend of the union. And they will be yours. Of course...you can always just persuade them to block other rivals to their market. Should one have the audacity to do this to you however. Bribes....or threats tend to work. A lot of money or guns hold great sway on even the stiffest of flags. Control points are counted at the end of the Era: 15 return routes. =========================================================================================== Example BETA cards: Shit. I ain't too good at art. These cards are just examples and throw aways for prototypes. I got an art, sister who agreed to do some pictures if this gets passed beta. [img]http://i.imgur.com/ii6X0Tk.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/NcDAubf.png[/img] At the moment. I'm just seeing who's on board. I got one person ready to test. I'll need maybe 2 or 3 more. If I get them. I'll expand on all the stuff here and start doing the proto-type graphics. [/hider]